NOVA Online | Island of the Sharks

An electric field repellent device? Brilliant! As you know, a shark can sense the small electric field that the seal gives off. An electric field repellent device puts out an electric field that is many times greater than the seal's—so much that it overloads the shark's electroreception, distracting it momentarily. (Imagine if you just took a big sniff of cayenne pepper. It's so strong that it overloads your senses, making your eyes water, your nose twitch—and you might even take a step backward.)

saved seal

While the shark is reacting to this sensory overdose, the seal just might have enough time to swim quickly to shore. Hey, you're pretty good at this! Maybe you should think about a career in the marine sciences.

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